Time & Again
by Nodakskip
Summary: First fic I wrote way back in 97. (have to respell check this one)
1. Default Chapter

I made this fic after Buffy season one ended. It was my fist fic I ever did so please be kind. I did a little editing, but knowing me I bet I missed one or two things. But hey no one is perfect. Enjoy.

Giles sat in his office, reading the Codex. He was very hesitant to read the prophecies again. The last time he did, Buffy died. But he knew that they had to be ready for what ever the next threat from the HellMouth would be. He was very puzzled about the next prophecy in the book. He quickly translated it twice; he then read it out loud to himself. 

"In the Aftermath, the Dreamer of the chosen one will switch. 

The re-born servant of the lord will guide him. 

And he will be confronted with the unknown past and the horrid future." 

Giles had heard almost every reference to the Slayer, the Master, and even his own job as Watcher. But he had never heard... "The Dreamer of the Chosen?" He said it over and over in his head. He sat for a few more hours trying to think of whom the book refereed to. Finally around 2 am, he gave up and went home to try to get some sleep. 
    
    *       *       *

Buffy, Willow, and Xander walked to school the next morning. "This is great, we have to study for finals, while we fight an army of vampires," Xander said as he drank out of his jukebox, "I wonder if we can get an extension." "Sorry sir, but we where busy saving the world from the undead, could we take the test on Tuesday?" Buffy said sarcastically. Willow laughed, "To bad we can't earn credits killing demons. We would have enough to graduate already." 

The group stopped at the schools restrooms. "Be right back," Xander said as he went into the mens room. While he was gone Buffy asked Willow, "Are you going to tell him?" Willow just shook her head, "I can't, I haven't been able to tell him for 4 years, why ruin the streak." Buffy wasn't going to let this go, "You'll never forgive yourself if you don't ask him." Willow just kept shaking her head, "I can't, i just can't." 
    
    *       *       *

Giles looked up from his book. "Oh good you're here." "We're always here." Buffy said as the three teens walked into the library. "Not another prophecy." Xander wined as he saw the Codex. "I'm afraid so" Giles replied. "What is it this time, Mutant Goldfish?" Buffy asked. Giles rolled his eyes. "I have no idea." His answer both surprised and worried the three teenagers. Giles lived this stuff 24 hours a day. If he didn't know, they could be in trouble. 

He told them the prophecy and they where just as clueless as he was. "We know that Buffy is the chosen one." Willow said. "Yes, but who's the Dreamer?" Xander asked as he started to pace nervously. "Calm down Xander, we'll figure it out." Buffy told him. "Calm down? Calm down? Buffy the last time we read that book, you died, and a slimy three headed monster came out of the floor." He said as he continued to pace. 

Buffy turned to Giles, "No idea at all?" "Only one thing that I can think of." He said as he started to clean his glasses, "is that a Slayer dreams about the past lives of former Slayers." "But I haven't had any Slayer dreams at all for a month or two." Buffy said as she was starting to pace with Xander. "Well, that throws that idea out then." 

"Maybe…" Willow said to her self. The others stopped and looked at her. "Maybe what?" Xander said as she came over to the table. Willow sat down on the table, "maybe the phrase "The Dreamer of the chosen one" doesn't mean, Buffy. Maybe it means a friend or a family member. People show up in other people's dreams all the time. Say you dream you're at school, you naturally dream of your classmates in that setting." Giles sat up; "You could have something there." 

"And the Aftermath could mean the aftermath of Prom night." Xander guessed. "But who's the Reborn servant of the Lord? Buffy wondered. "I am going to drive to San Diego to meet with an old friend of mine and get her take on this." Giles said. "Why not just use the phone?" Xander asked. "She doesn't have one." Giles said as he got his jacket from his office. "I should be back either tonight or early tomorrow. Until then, just keep your eyes open." 
    
    *       *       *

That night Xander was overly nervous. He was not worried about the prophecy as much as what didn't happen that day. Buffy never said anything about him trying to ask her out. He was very worried that he acted to soon and drove her into Angels arms. He had gone so far as to ask his cousin in North Dakota what he should do. He spent most of the conversation on the phone with her, trying not to mention the whole Slayer, Vampire thing. "Just be yourself and if she doesn't respond to you then forget her." His cousin had said. Her advice didn't help him much. He couldn't forget a girl he's faced the Demons of Hell with. Plus how he screwed up with Willow. He still kicked himself for asking for a pity date when Buffy turned him down. 

While he was thinking this over and over in his head, he barley noticed the doorbell ring. His mom came to his room, "Alexander, you have a friend here." Xander turned and saw the last person he would ever think to see at his house. "Cozy, "Angel said as Xanders mom left the room. Xander got up and closed his door, "What are you doing here?" 

"I need your help." Angel said evenly. Clearly he did not like to come to Xander for help. And Xander did not like it either "What could I help you with? Wouldn't Giles be a better person to ask?" even as he said it, he remembered that Giles would not be back until the morning. And if Angel could not wait until then, then it had to be serious. "He's not home," Angel said as he looked out Xanders window. "This sounds important," Xander said. 

"It is," Angel turned around, "The Masters lair is empty now it won't be for much longer. When Buffy killed the Master, the vampires scattered there still regrouping, deciding whether or not to move on." "So we have to get them while their still here...?" Xander asked. "No, that would take days." Angel threw Xander his jacket "we have to get to the lair and get the Masters books while they are still unguarded." 
    
    *       *       *

Buffy was in the dark looking for keys to her front door. "I slay countless vampires and demons, and yet I have to lock my door to keep burglars out." She had just gotten her door open, when she heard something behind her, as she spun she nearly tripped on Cordelia. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" Cordelia just shrugged, "Don't be so jumpy then." "Now, I need to talk to you. Let's get in before this humidity ruins my hair." 

Buffy did not want to put up with this. "What do you want to talk about then?" "Cordelia sat down on Buffys couch, "Look, I want to know what's been happing in this town for the last 8 months." Buffy tried to act innocent, "Happened? Nothings been happening, Where just a nice little town." "Don't patronize me Buffy." Buffy had never heard Cordelia angry from something other than a bad hair day. "Sorry, but this is not something that can be gossiped all over school." 

"Do you think that low of me?" Cordelia asked. "The body count in this town has gone up a lot lately. And most of the dead is from our school. And I do not want to end up as a…what ever those things where the other night." Buffy was not convinced "You're the same girl, who we saved from an invisible girl, and then made fun of us the next day?!?!" 

"Hey, I'm nice to Willow now." Cordelia wined. "Only when you need her help with something." Buffy shot back. "Look, I am not leaving until I find out what is going on here." Buffy could see Cordelia was very serious. She felt this was going to be a long night. 
    
    *       *       *

Angel looked at Xander, "The dreamer of the chosen one?" Xander nodded, "That's what it said. I just hope Giles friend knows somethi…." Angel held out his hand. "Hold on." Xander looked ahead in the tunnel he had been in two days ago looking for Buffy. "I thought you said it was unguarded!" Angel didn't even look up, "Keep your voice down." They looked into the opening of the Masters lair, and saw four vampires and The Anointed One. Xander couldn't believe it, "That little prick kid is the one that led Buffy to die?" 

He apparently spoke too loud, because they where surrounded by vampires before he got his sentence out. Angel quickly spun and started to attack the oncoming vampires. He was able to stake one when he realized what they where doing. The vampires where giving their "lives" to buy the Anointed One some time to finish whatever he was doing. And if it was that important to them, Angel knew He and Xander had to stop it. He was removed from his thoughts by a vampire actually throwing Xander on to Angel. 

While a vampire was closing in on his neck, Xander heard a harsh childs voice. "Bring them to me NOW!!" They where thrown to the ground near a large chair. Xander thought it had to have been the Masters throne. "Next time I tell you to shut up, SHUT UP!" Angel snapped. "You said they wouldn't even be here now!!" Xander yelled back. 

"Angelus, why do you toy with these creatures" the Anointed One said as he looked into Xanders eyes, "they are so weak and afraid." Xander just looked down, "Like you're so damn hot." The Anointed One just laughed, "It will be a pleasure to drink your blood, not as much as the Slayers of course." Now it was Angels turn to laugh, "You'll never get her. She to powerful for you." "She is now, but we don't need to worry about that. As he started chanting, Xander and Angel shared a confused look trying to figure out what he meant. Xander stood up, "Ok, for the only little stupid mortal in the room. What the hell are you talking about?" 

The Anointed One held up a very large and musty old book. Angel stood up slowly, "The Lazzera!!" "The what?!?" Angel turned to Xander, "Giles books contain prophecy and stories passed down though generations. But that book is the only book to contain the entire history of the first Slayer. It was said to have been destroyed, centuries ago." Xander still didn't understand the importance of it, "So it's a big history book. What so important about that?" 

"You are a stupid mortal." The Anointed one said as he came face to face with Xander." It contains how the first Slayer got her powers from God. It will also help me rid the world of the Slayer, and allow the Master to rule over all the earth. And please call me Colin." Angel came over to him, "You can't open the portal it's too dangerous." Xander was to confuse, "What Portal?" A blue flash that knocked everybody to the ground answered his question. "Oh, that portal." He said as he got up and looked around. By Colin there was a large blue vortex suspended in mid air. 

Colin laughed, "This portal will allow me to go back and stop the slayer before she completes her first "mission." Xander couldn't believe it, "Time travel?!? Hey, I've seen enough Star Trek to know that's bad." "Maybe for the good guys." And with that Colin jumped into the vortex, and disappeared. With their leader gone, the vampires didn't know what to do. So they relied on instinct, they attacked. During the fight Angel pushed Xander out of harms way, "Go, and get Buffy. I'll be right behind you." 

Xander didn't wait a second, he ran for the nearest manhole he could find. He swore when he saw it was still dark out that meant the vampires could come after him. He took off for Buffys house. While he was running he noticed that all the street lights where busted, the houses where all dark, plus there where cars on fire in the streets, "What the hell is going on here?" He asked looking around. As he cut across the school football field, he heard a high pitched scream. He went into panic as he recognized the voice the scream had came from…Willow. 

Xander burst into the school and followed the screams coming from the gym. Along the way he jumped over several bodies. He recognized almost all of them as his classmates. Running into the gym he saw two vampires trapping a small group of girls. One vampire spun around to fight him, and as soon as Xander saw him, he was more confused than ever. The vampire was Jesse. "They can come back from the UN-dead now to?" Xander didn't have time to think any more before the vampire charged. And out of reflex Xander plunged a steak into the undead Jesses hart. 

He ran to the other side of the gym to get the other vampire, which was about to bite Willow. As Xander got closer he could here Willow crying and the vampire mocking her, "Come on Willow, you know you always wanted me to do this…" Xander plunged his second stake into the back of the vampire, and before the vampire turned to dust, it turned around and Xander saw a vampire version of himself. 
    
    *       *       *

Angel ran out of the manhole and sniffed the air. "Damn, I told him to go to Buffy. She wouldn't be at the school this late." 
    
    *       *       *

Willow and her group of survivors slowly backed away from Xander. "What's going on here, you can't be Xander You just killed him!" She watched as the new human Xander looked at her in shock, "That little prick, he must have done it. He must have stopped her." He sure sounded like Xander she thought. "Willow, do you know Buffy?" "Who's Buffy, another one of them?" The new Xander sat down on the bleachers and put his head in his hands, "He killed her before she moved here." 

Willow turned to talk to her group. "That can't be Xander, we just saw him kill Xander." Cordelia said. "It will be dawn soon. We still should try to make our way to Nevada." One girl said. "And then what!" Willow demanded, "They took over LA in a few days. It won't take them long to reach Nevada. Besides they could already be there. We haven't had a working TV for two months. No way to check CNN." "We have to find out what's going on." Another girl said. Willow looked over to the boy on the bleachers; "He's the only one that might have some answers." 

Willow walked carefully over to Xander; she was ready for anything. "Where did you come from? And do you know what's going on?" The boy that had Xanders face looked up, "It's a long story and you wouldn't believe it. And I don't have time to explain. I have to know did this start about a year ago?" Willow nodded. "I guess I can check the net for clues. If that's not destroyed allready." Xander said as he walked to the doors. 

Willow and her group followed Xander to the library, "They still work, but we have to run off a generator. The electric company was destroyed two weeks ago." Xander logged on, and called up his email account. He left a note for **his** Willow, and hoped she would get it, if the world went back to normal. Next he went on the Internet, and looked up all the California newspapers. About 5 minutes later, he found what he was looking for, The LA Times. He looked at the last few issues online, "That's odd, there all over a year old." He entered the word to search for "Buffy". The only article to come up caused the blood to drain from his face. "Oh, god no." 

"What are you doing here?" Willow screamed as she saw who had asked the question. It was Angel, but he still had his vampire face on. And Willow and the other girls ran out screaming. Xander knew they couldn't waist the time to go after them. "You should take a look at his." Angels face went back to its human form as he looked over Xanders shoulder, "Gang War turns school dance into Bloodbath?" 

Xander pointed to a picture in the article, "See that guy right there" Angel looked where Xander was pointing, he saw a dead kid about 17 or 18 lying dead on a gym floor. "What you did know him?" "I didn't, but Buffy did." Ignoring Angels *what does this have to do with anything* look, Xander continued, "Buffy told me about when she first learned she was a Slayer. She fought a vampire like the Master, and that guy helped her. She said his name was Pike. And that he survived the gym and got most of the student to safety." Angel was starting to understand, "But the paper says there where **no** survivors." Xander concluded, "That's what Colin meant. That portal sent him back to that night and he killed that Pike guy, and with him dead, this other master was able to beat and **kill** Buffy." 

"So she never moved here, or fought our Master." Xander nodded, "These online newspapers update every day, so if this one is a year old…." Angel finished the thought, and "Then LA was over run with vampires a few days later." "And that would explain why **I** was a vampire ten minutes ago, and why Willow was afraid of you. Where are in an alternate time line." Angel looked out the window, "It's almost light out, we have to get back to the liar before the vampires here head back underground." 
    
    *       *       *

They walked for a few minutes in silence. And then Xander stopped "That's it" Angel turned around, "What's it?" Xander looked up, "The prophecy!" "Think about it, I'm the Dreamer. "YOU?" They started walking as Xander kept explaining; "I have a crush on her, so I **dream** about her. And I switched to; we switched to a different timeline. Also you're the re-born servant of the Lord" Angel understood, "And we just saw the horrid future. And we have to go through the portal to the unknown past." It took them about 5 more minutes to get back to the portal. "Here goes nothing." Xander said as they jumped in the portal and vanished. 

Pike was not a happy camper. He had staked three vampires in the last twenty minutes. Plus Benny his friend turned vampire threw him to the floor. As he was trying to get up he thought he saw…no it couldn't be, he could have sworn he saw a small kid walking around. Before the kid could register on Pikes brain, he was lifted into the air and thrown onto a table. 
    
    *       *       *

Angel and Xander appeared a few seconds after Colin. And they immediate had to duck to avoid getting hit by a chair flying threw the air. They started to look around at the pure carnage going on in the gym. Angel looked around, "I'll look for the little brat, you find this Pike guy." A vampire attacked Xander before he got ten feet. As soon as he dumped a jar of Holy water on it, he had to pull a vampire off a group of panicking students. When he left the hysterical kids, one girl turned to her friend, "Who was that guy?" Her friend only replied by screaming. 

Pike was just recovering from killing Benny, when the kid showed up again. "Kid, get out of here. Before they notice you." He started to push the kid to the back door when a guy he didn't know blocked his way. Pike put the kid behind him to protect him, "Look pal your not touching this kid." Angel put on his vampire face, "You don't know what's going on, get out of my way." 

Pike was not going to move. "You want him you're going to have to get past me." He charged Angel. Pike was able to throw Angel on to the ground and was about to try and stake him, when Xander tackled him. Free of Pike, Angel went after Colin "What you didn't think we would come after you?" Colin showed his fangs, "You maybe, but the mortal, I thought he be dead by now." Xander was able to grab Pikes stake and tossed it to Angel. But before Angel could charge, a chair hit him from behind. 

As Angel went down, The Colin turned on Xander and Pike. "Well, looks like I get two meals." Xander held out a cross, "Guess again." Colin recoiled in pain, "Next time, mortal." And he ran and jumped into the portal and disappeared. Xander ran over to help Angel up. Pike just stood there, "Who the hell are you guys?" They ran to the portal, "Just forget us." Pike was going to protest when Buffy burst into the room; she was being chased by vampires. Pike went to help her, and Xander started to run to help to. Angel stopped him, "It's not our fight, she'll be ok." And they followed Colin. 

When the portal returned them back to the lair, they where grabbed by a new group of vampires. "What is this…the second time we have captured you?" Colin asked sarcastically, "You are getting sloppy Angelus." Angel said nothing as Colin continued his speech. "I know your weakness Angelus. You have a thing for these mortals, for the Slayer. And you protect this human, because he is a friend of hers. And you know that if something happened to him, the Slayer would be very upset. Maybe upset enough to lower her guard." Two vampires dragged Xander to an altar and chained him to it. "But death is to easy an end for this mortal. I could change him into one of us, but you've shown me that even a vampire can cause me trouble. So I'll use my little book here to get rid of him." 

Xander didn't like the sound of this. "What do you mean get rid of me?" Colin laughed, "I am going to send you ahead in time. I can't control where you end up, but you won't help the Slayer again. And with her little helper gone…she will not be ready for my next attack. Now hold still." Colin started chanting from the book, while Angel kept struggling to get free. 
    
    *       *       *

Willow walked into the library at 7:30, about an hour before her first class started. She found Buffy already there doing her homework. "You're here early." Buffy put away her books; "I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking of what we would go through next." Willow nodded and looked around, "Has Xander been here? He said he would meet me in the commons, but he wasn't there." 

Buffy sighed; "He probably over slept" She got up, "I'll call him." While Buffy was calling Xander, Willow went over to the computer and called up her school email account. She had read about 3 letters, when Buffy came over. "We have a problem." Willow looked up, "What's wrong? Xanders ok…isn't he?" Buffy sat down next to her; "His mom hasn't seen him since about 9 last night. She says that a guy she didn't know came and picked him up, and he never came home," 

Willow jumped out of her chair, "We have to find him. He could be hurt, he could be…de…dea…Oh, my god he could be dead." Buffy tried to calm her friend, "Willow, I'm sure he's fine." Willow wasn't connived, "Buffy, we live on a HellMouth." Willow started to run for the door when she remembered that she was still logged on. She came back and was about to flip the power switch, when she noticed the last letter, "Buffy." Buffy looked over, "What is it?" Willow just pointed to the letter; "I got a letter from Xander, at about...11 last night, two hours after his mom last saw him." "Well open it?" Buffy urged. 
    
    *       *       *

From: AlexHarris@sunnydale.edu

To WRosenberg@sunnydale.edu 

I hope you guys get this. Angel and I tried to get the Masters stuff out of his liar. But that little anointed kid was there. He had some book called the Lazzera. He used it to make a "Portal" and went back. We are going to try and stop him. But I don't know if we will make it. 
    
    *       *       *

Giles was nearly knocked over by Buffy and Willow as they ran through the parking lot. "Is there a problem?" He asked as Buffy grabbed his arm and pulled him along. 

It took them about 10 minutes to get to the lair, and Willow screamed with what they saw. Buffy started right into attacking the vampires, and Giles had to hold Willow back from going to Xander. Angel had expected Colin to panic when Buffy arrived, but he just laughed. "Your too late Slayer, your friend is going to be gone in minutes. And there is nothing you can do to stop it. You FAILED," he continued to taunt her as her ran out of the lair. 

"Wanna a bet?" Buffy asked as she started to take after Colin. She didn't get very far before Angel stopped her, "He's right. Xander only has a few minutes left. We'll get him later." Buffy was about to object when she saw Willow. She was kneeling by Xander, and Xander was fading away. "I'm sorry," was all Buffy could say to Xander as she knelt along side Willow. 

Xander looked up at her, "Don't be. It was my choice to lead this life. Just promise me that you'll kill that little asshole." Buffy was starting to cry, "I promise. He won't get away." Willow spoke between sobs, "Xander, you can't leave. We need you…I need you." Xander tried to grip her hand, but his body was almost completely phased out. "You'll be ok, you have people now who love you, and will look out for you. And wherever I end up, I'll find you. I'll get back…no matter how long it takes." 

Xander felt his body about to go into the unknown. And he managed a weak "Good bye…" before he completely disappeared. "NOOOOOOOO!!" Willow screamed as she fell into Buffy's arms. Giles and Angel knelt down beside them. "I'm so sorry, I should never have asked him to help me." Angel said to Buffy. Buffy responded by pulling Angel into her hug with Willow. They stayed there for a long time holding each other, Watcher, Slayer, Vampire, and the last Slayerett, not caring if the vampires returned. 
    
    *       *       *

Buffy woke up and looked at the alarm clock "3:37?" She rubbed her eyes and looked around for Willow. There was no one in her sleeping bag, but there was a light on in the living room. "Willow, what are you doing up this late?" As soon as Buffy saw what Willow was doing she immediately understood. Willow was looking at their yearbook. Buffy could see lots of wadded up tissues all over the place. 

"Last week, I thought today would be so different." Willow said as Buffy sat down next to her, "I thought we would get our yearbooks and have fun laughing at all the bad pictures of us." Willow wiped her nose, "But now we are sitting here looking at a picture of a friend who's…." Willow choked back the tears. "He's not dead," Buffy said. "We don't know where he is, but wherever he is, I'm sure he's alive. And thinking of you." Willow looked at her though red eyes; "You think so." Buffy gave her a hug; "I know so." 


	2. chapter 2

The lunchroom at Sunnydale High School was crowded as usual. So Abigail and her friends took their trays to the courtyard. "God, what is this stuff?" Kristen said as she picked at her food. Tobis looked equally puzzled, "I'm guessing it's a sloppy joe" "Maybe tapioca pudding," Quinn guessed. Kristen looked sick, "I'm not going to touch this stuff…." She was interrupted by a football landing in the fountain and splashing her. "Who ever said high school was the some of the best years of your life. Was on drugs." She said as she threw the wet football back to the boy who had thrown it. 

Quinn laughed, "Miss perky cheerleader is angry, it's a miracle." "Ha, Ha. Very funny Quinn," Kristen tried to air out her English book, "Abigail, how can some boys be so immature…." Kristen saw that Abigail was looking off in to space. "Yo, earth to Abigail. "Huh? Oh sorry," Abigail said as she snapped out of it. Kristen looked where Abigail was looking she saw a teenage boy around there age. He was cute enough but his clothes left a lot to be desired. "Where does he shop? At garage sales?" "Who?" Tobis asked. Kristen pointed, "That guy over there." Tobis and Quinn looked the boy over. "He's your type Abigail. He's headed into the library." 

*       *       *

'What a surprise, no Giles. Can't have that go right for me.' Xander thought as he walked through the doors to the library. He got another shock when he saw how much the library had changed. It was now a library/media center. There were three levels with TVs, computers, and what looked like laser-disc players. But the biggest surprise for Xander was that the library was full of students. For the entire time he had worked with Giles, Willow, and Buffy fighting vampires, only three or four students ever stopped in. 

"Can I help you?" Xander turned around to see a woman around thirty walking up to him. Xander guessed she was the librarian. "Do you have a section of old newspapers?" 'What the hell, it worked before' he thought. The woman directed him to a small room with a large monitor and a small computer. "This computer is set up for the Sunnydale Times. If you want papers from other areas, you can select from this list of websites on the screen." She said as she left the room. 

It took a second for Xander to find the power switch for the monitor. A touch screen menu of papers came up.1850-1899/1900-1949/1950-1999/2000-2022 or Todays paper: Oct.31st 2022 

Xander was taken aback by the date. "2022! I thought it would be a few years or so. But that asshole Colin sent me 25 years in to the future." He forced himself to calm down. 'I have to find my buds.' He entered his name into the search and hit enter. It came back with two hits. The first one was an article about him disappearing. It had an interview with his mom and Willow. Xander cried when he read what Willow said about loosing her best friend. 

The second was about the five-year anniversary of his disappearance. "They had a benefit concert at the Bronze! It raised two hundred thousand for the missing childrens foundation. Not bad." He sent Giles name through the search. One article came up. Xander could barley read it with the tears in his eyes. "December 3rd, 1998…High school librarian found dead in park." Xander wiped his eyes, "What else could go wrong?" He searched for Buffy, Willow, and for the hell of it, Cordelia. 

"At least they are still alive." Xander said to himself. Buffy was an Actress; Cordelia was a fashion designer. And Willow was a VP at Microsoft. "Looks like everybody made out ok…. Hello...what's this? Willow got married in college? Willow Ross? Rosenberg still sounds better." He was admiring how Buffy looked in her bridesmaid dress when he stopped cold as he saw the next article. 'How much can Willow handle? I disappear and then Giles dies. And now her husband dies 4 years after they where married.' 

Xander sighed as he read the article. "This thing reads like the crap they said when Jesse died. It looks like Alan Ross was killed by a vampire." The emotions Xander had been feeling came rushing out of him. "I was always there for her, and she was there for me. And all this crap happens to her and I am stuck in the future." He choked back the sobs trying not to attract the attention of those in the next room. 

The door opened and Xander tried to pull himself together thinking the librarian was coming in. When he turned around he saw a man standing in the doorway. He was about twenty-six, and wearing a large hat and trench coat. Xander looked at the man, "Something you need?" The man didn't move, "For you to follow me, now." 

Xander shook his head, "Sorry if I made to much noise or something. I just need to get an address off of here and then I'll leave." The man grabbed Xanders shoulder, "I have all the info you will need. We don't have much time left." Xander shrugged his arm off, "Leave me alone pal. Who do you think you are anyway?" The stranger looked Xander right in the eyes; "My name is Merrick" 

*       *       *

Willow sat back at her kitchen table reading her latest stack of company memos. "That's still to high." She said to herself, "No one will buy a database virus scanner for that much." She shook her head as she took a sip of her tea. "I would." Willow looked up to see her daughter come in the door with her friends. "I don't think you would want this. Its already last years model." Willow said. Kristen grabbed Abigails shoulder; "She likes last years model. Computers…clothes...guys." "He wasn't that old Kristen." Abigail pointed out. 

"Who wasn't that old?" Willows motherly instincts took over. Quinn spoke up, "Some guy at school. We don't know who he was." Willow did not like this, "Just to review here. You saw a guy. He's older, and he's a complete and total stranger. A mothers dream." "Don't worry Mrs. R. he spent all his time in the library." Kristen joked. 

"The library?" Willow wondered. Tobis laughed, "Yeah, he looked up stuff on the old newspapers. And then he left with some guy." Abigail turned to Willow; "He was a normal guy. And I know I won't see him again mom. He was just…cute." "Wait a minute…" Kristen, said as she went over to the pictures on the wall and pointed to a small one towards the bottom. "He looked like this guy." The group came over to where Kristen was standing. 

"Yeah that's him." Tobis said. Abigail looked at the picture. It was from her moms prom when she was freshmen or something. The only reason she remembered it was because it was the only prom picture she had ever seen that had teachers in it. She shook her head; "No this must be his father." Willow felt the blood drain from her face. "That's who you saw at school today!" Abigail was surprised by her moms sudden change of attitude. "Yeah, but it couldn't have been him mom. This picture was when you where my age. He just looks a lot like him." 

Willow was still trying to recover, "I want to know every detail now." Kristen shared a puzzled look with Abigail as she said, "He came through the school courtyard and went right to the library. I heard he looked through the old newspapers and then left with some strange guy." "What did he look up?" Willow demanded. "We don't know. He was in a room by himself. Then this weird guy went in the room, and ten minutes later they left together." Abigail was starting to get worried, "Why this so important mom?" Willow didn't answer; she just stared off in to space. Only one word passed through her lips… "Xander" 

*       *       *

The cave looked the same it had when it was first formed over seventy years ago. The ruins of the church were still laying everywhere. "This will do." A tall figure said as he came into the cave. "We didn't have many choices," his companion said. "Plus they know of its existence." The tall figure removed his hood to reveal his fangs, "They are of no consequence. Their numbers are small, and they are out of practice. We will take care of them when we are ready." 

His companion was not convinced, "But Master, there have been rumors that The Dreamer has returned. He could be a problem." The Master laughed, "He has little experience. The only problem shall be the Slayer. And a small problem at that. Her relationship with her Watcher is weak. Plus she still blames herself for her old Watchers death." The Master looked at his companion; "He died like few humans do. He fought our kind and sacrificed himself to save the Slayer. I killed his Grandmother back in the 19th century. Humans like that taste very good. We will not find many like that when we open the Hellmouth." 

*       *       *

Buffy Summers could hardly breathe when she hung up the telephone. Willows news had stunned her. They had waited for Xander to return for over 25 years. Now he was back, but they had no idea where he was. And thoughts of this stranger that met Xander worried Buffy. She had to find out who this guy was, and where he had taken Xander. She did the only thing she could think of, she called her Watcher. 

"Hello. You have reached my voice mail. You should know how this thing works so when you hear the beep, go for it." Buffy hated that message. It was the same one her Watcher had had since she first moved to Sunnydale. "Megan, this is Buffy. If your there pick up, this is important." Buffy spoke quietly into the phone. "I'm here Buffy." came Megans reply after a few seconds. Buffy told Megan what Willow had said. Megan considered it for a few seconds, "Get Willow and Cordelia. I'll meet you at the observatory in an hour. And make sure Willows daughter says nothing about this to anybody." 

*       *       *

About thirty minutes later Abigail and her friends where talking in her living room. "You can't think of any reason for why your mom freaked out?" Tobis asked. Abigail shook her head, "Nope. The last time I saw her like that was when my dad died." Kristen ran into the room, "I got them." She said as she put the books down on the coffee table. "These are my moms yearbooks," Abigail said, "That picture the guy was in was from her high school days. So maybe we can find him in here." 

Abigail took the senior yearbook, Kristen the junior, Tobis the sophomore, and Quinn the freshmen. A few minutes later Quinn spoke up, "I've got him. He's in here two times. His class picture and.…one with your mom. He handed the book to Abigail. "Alexander Harris." Kristen read the name aloud. Abigails head shot up when she heard the name. "Alexander? That's my middle name. I was told I was named after a friend of my moms, but I always thought it was my first name." 

Kristen flipped to the back of the books and looked through the autographs. "Look here" she pointed. "Willow, We made it through our first year of hell. Now we only have three to go. You'r Bud, Xander." Tobis spoke up, "He's in the sophomore one as well. But I don't see a autograph." Abigail tried to figure it out, "He was here up till the sophomore year. And then he vanished. Did he just move?" "Nope." Kristen said, "There is a page towards the back of the junior yearbook that's 'Dedicated to the memory of Alexander Harris.'" 

Abigail read some lines from the page. "A great friend. He was just 'One of the Girls.'-Buffy Summers. 'My longest and dearest friend. We went through it all together. He will always hold a special place in my heart'-Willow Rosenberg. 'He was ok. Not bad for a nerd.'-Cordelia Chase." Tobis looked confused. "This can't be who we saw today. He disappeared when our parents where teenagers. Who ever we saw was just a guy who looked like him. Or this Harris guy's son." 

While the four friends tried to figure out who they saw that day, they did not notice the sun had gone down. 

*       *       *

Buffys jeep pulled into the back of the Observatory. "It's been awhile since we had a meeting like this," Cordelia said. "I'm not sure if I remember the code to get in." Buffy walked to the gate, "I do." She entered a 9-digit code and the gate swung open. Willow still admired the building. This was a second home to her for years. After they had all graduated from high school, they could not keep using the library for their 'headquarters'. So Megan had bought this old observatory on the edge of town. Willow tried hard to remember all the good times here. Because all the bad times kept coming back to her tonight. She remembered it all. The death of Jesse, Xanders disappearance, how Giles had died covering Buffy while she escaped from Colins lair. And one memory that was just as bad as all those put together, Alans death. After all those friends dying, Willow had started to think that all her role was not really important when she had reached college. 

She almost gave up and ran for the 'hills'. But meeting Alan helped her a great deal. They had dated for about three years before they married. And all that time, Alan never knew what his Wife did for a night job. He only found out the night he died. The events of that night came in Willows nightmares every few months. Willow and Buffy where to far away to stop it, but not far enough not to hear Alans screams as his blood was drained. Willow did not know what she ever lost Abigail. But now with Xanders reappearance, things might start to get going again. And that Willow was not going to let those things hurt her family again. 

*       *       *

Tobis was the first to hear the delivery truck. "When did you guys order a dresser?" he asked Abigail. Abigail walked over to the window, "We didn't" Quinn answered the doorbell. "They say they have a dresser for a Willow Ross." Abigail shrugged, "My mom never said anything, but what the heck. Bring it on in." 

Quinn had no time to react as the deliveryman grabbed him. He saw the others startled reactions as he was thrown over to where his friends where standing. "QUINN!" Kristen screamed when she saw him land with a sickening thud. Tobis stood protectively in front of the girls as they helped Quinn. "Weak…pathetic…this should be easy." The man that threw Quinn said. 

"What should be easy?" Tobis asked. The man laughed, "Draining you of blood." And then the delivery mans faced morphed into something Tobis never saw outside of old movies. "A Vampire?" "Two more vampires came in the house and one grabbed Kristen. "A tasty morsel." He said as he brought Kristens neck to his fangs. Kristen tried to struggle, but it was no use. She was about to admit defeat when her attacker turned to dust and disappeared. Abigail barley saw a wooden steak fly through the air and hit another vampire in the chest. She was speechless as the once man, turned into a carpet stain. 

"Nice throw. You'll have to teach me that." Xander said as he walked into the house. "It's a family secret." Merrick said joining Xander. The last vampire charged them. Merrick started to pull out another stake when Xander stopped him. "Allow me." Xander dodged the vampires attack, and plunged the steak into his heart. "Not bad, you're improving. But you still have a lot to learn." Merrick said. Xander laughed, "I aim to please." 

Abigail set forward, "Are you Alexander Harris?" Xander nodded, "Yep." He turned back to Merrick, "What are we doing here? Granted we always have time to do a little vampire slayage. But I need to find Willow and Buffy." "Willow!" Abigail gasped. Xander looked at her puzzled, "You know her? Who are you anyway?" Merrick stepped forward, "This is Abigail Ross. She is Willows and Alans teenage daughter." Xander could hardly breathe. "Willows daughter. I guess I didn't read everything in those papers. Where is your Mother?" 

*       *       *

"So," Megan said as she walked around the table, "We have no hard evidence that Alexander Harris is back." Buffy looked up at her; "It had to be him. When Angel told us what happened with Colin, he said Xander went to the library and looked up old newspapers. That's how he found out about Colin trying to kill Pike and me." Cordelia spoke up, "And now this unknown kid goes to the high school, and does the exact same thing. Plus Abigails friend pointed Xander out in a picture as the guy. It has to be Xander." 

Megan rubbed her eyes, "If that's true than we have a problem." "What problem?" Buffy asked, " We find Xander and make sure this guy he is with is not a danger." Megan pulled out a computer printout; "I got a email from my friends. They say they are almost through translating the Codex." Willow interrupted her, "I thought Giles translated all of the Codex." "He did." Megan said, "But he only took ancient Latin for one year. The Codex has prophecies that we must know word for word." Buffy started to get angry, "Giles read the prophecies correctly. His translation of the prophecy of my death was word for word." "He was wrong about the Anointed one. The vampire you first killed was the wrong one." Megan shot back. Cordelia did not want this old argument to start up again. "Why is the Codex important now?" she asked Megan. "They found a line in a prophecy. It says, 'The old and new will stand together and the Dreamer will end it." 

"End what?" Willow demanded. Megan shook her head, "We don't know. And we also don't know when this will occur. Or who the 'Old and New' are." "So you have no idea at all?" Buffy asked coldly. Megan was just getting into a staring contest with Buffy, when a new voice came out of no where. "That's enough." "Who are you? And how did you get in here?" Megan demanded. "That is not important." Merrick said. "What is important is that my companion and I get to talk to you." Megan didn't like this, "And you is your companion?" 

"I am." Xander said walking out of the shadows. "XANDER!!" Willow screamed as she ran over and hugged him. "I thought I'd never see you again," she said fighting the tears. "It hasn't been the same without you," Buffy said as she kissed Xander on the cheek. Cordelia came over as well, "The slayeretts back together again." 

Xander was shocked. "You know about all this?" he asked Cordelia. "Buffy told me everything after you disappeared." Cordelia replied. Xander was going to say more when he noticed Willow was still holding on to him as hard as she could. 'I can't believe my little bud is now forty-one years old now.' He thought. "This is all very touching. But we have to find out the meaning of the prophecy and we don't know how much time we have left." Megan said. Buffy turned to face her, "Our best friend has come back to us after 25 years and you say its not important!?" 

Before Megan could respond, a group of teenagers came in the door. "Abigail!" Willow screamed, "What are you guys doing here?" Xander grabbed her shoulder; "We had to bring them. Your house was attacked. We couldn't leave them there. Willow was immediately concerned, "What happened?" she asked the group of kids. "Some guys with fangs attacked us." Kristen told Willow. "They weren't just guys." Tobis said. 

"Knock it off Tobis." Abigail yelled, "They were not vampires. They where just guys with…. I don't know what was up with them. But they where not Vampires." "That's exactly what they where." Merrick stated. "They are moving again. Not randomly either. They have some sort of plan." Megan got in Merricks face, "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" Xander wedged himself in-between the adults, "Everybody this is…Merrick." 

Buffy's body went numb. "Merrick…how can you be Merrick? He's dead…I held him after Lothos attacked him. He died in my arms." She said softly. Merrick looked kindly at Buffy, "I told you I never really die. I am reborn until the threat of vampires is over forever." Buffy collapsed into Merricks arms crying, "I was so lost without you. If Pike hadn't been there, Lothos would have killed me to." 

Merrick stroked her hair, "I know all about it. I am so proud of you. I have followed your adventures." Buffy looked up at him, "Then why didn't you come sooner?" Merrick wiped a tear form her face; "I had to wait until I was needed. And you have had enough emotions in your life without me popping in out of the blue." 

Xander watched the scene with Buffy and Merrick. He looked around for a second and noticed something was missing. He leaned to Willow, "Where is Angel?" Willow looked down; "He's dead. We found a way to restore him to a human. But it went wrong. He changed back to a human fine, but his body had been dead for 200 years. He didn't last long. But he promised Buffy that if there is a heaven or something, that he would be waiting for her." Xander was stunned, "This lifestyle sucks. A lot of good people die." Willow looked to Xander, "You know about Giles?" she asked him. Xander nodded, "I read his obituary." Willow started to cry, "He held off the vampires long enough for Buffy and I to get away. I hope I go that bravely, when I die." 

Abigail was more confused than ever. "Could somebody tell me what is going on here?" The only answer she got was a stern 'not now' look from her mom. "I take it that the woman over there Is Giles replacement." "Yep," Cordelia came up behind Xander. "She showed up about two weeks after Giles died." 

A large flash of light interrupted all conversations in the room. The group looked up at the open roof of the Observatory. The night sky was flashing with lighting. The group of ten people ran outside, and saw a large blinding light. "What the hell was that?" Tobis yelled. 

Xander knew right away, "The last time I saw that was when Angel and I went to the Master's lair." Megan looked very worried; "You saw that at the Masters lair? What happened when you saw it?" Xander kept looking up, "After he…. killed Buffy. He broke the dimensional portal; there was a large white flash like that." Merrick came forward, "He's right. Dimensional portals are created and destroyed with a flash like that." 

Xander did not like the sound of this at all. He picked up a rock and threw it as hard and as far as he could. The rock only went a few feet when it hit an invisible barrier. "What's happing?" Cordelia asked. "They have created a portal around the entire city of Sunnydale." Merrick said. "They can make them that big!?" Willow asked. "I guess so." Megan said. "The question is why they did it." Buffy said. 

"They're going to try to open the Hellmouth." Xander said. Merrick agreed, "The portal will not let in the sunlight. So the Vampires can have all the time in the world." "And we have no way of getting help. Or escaping." Megan guessed. Buffy looked at the group, "And the people can't get out either. They've turned Sunnydale into a vampire smorgasbord." 

Merrick had a 'all business' look to his face. "We can't waist a second. The kids," he pointed to Abigail and her friends. "must stay here where it's safe. The rest of us are going to go to war. We have two objectives here. One: We capture the Lazzera, and use it to destroy the portal. And Two: We kill the mastermind of this plan." 


	3. chapter 3

"Who you going to call, 'Vampire Busters'," Xander was singing to himself. "You know Willow we could start a cartoon show about our lives." Willow smiled, "Xander, you don't know how much I've missed you." Xander smiled back, "I've missed you to. Now there are so many changes. In place of the nice Giles, we have Megan the ice princess." "You have to get used to her," Willow laughed as they got into her car. 

"Whats her problem anyway?" Xander asked. Willow started the car; "She was next in line to be Buffys Watcher after Merrick. But at the last minute Giles was sent instead, and Megan got sent after Giles died." Xander looked for his seatbelt, "So she had a case of Watcher envy?" Willow laughed, "Yeah, plus she always tries to point out Giles mistakes." "What mistakes? He was 'The Man'." Xander said. "Well we where the first two people outside of the Watchers to know about the slayer. Since the start it was the Watcher and the Slayer, and it upset a lot of people that two kids knew their big secret." Xander looked confused, "But didn't that Pike guy in LA know about all this?" Willow shook her head; "All he knew was Vampires where real. And he just helped stop a few. He knew little about the Slayer or the Watchers." 

*       *       *

Abigail watched her mother drive away. "Why could none of them explain in plain English what is going on?" "Yeah, lets see. First we have your moms old boyfriend looking like he stepped out of time. Plus a dead guy comes back to life and we where attacked by vampires." Kristen said sarcastically. Abigail sighed, "In one night my mom goes from a mild mannered woman to a cult member." 

Quinn walked up to the girls," I was just wondering if any of you guys have looked at your watches lately." The girls and Tobis all swore at the same time. "We're late. Mrs. Till is going to kill us." Kristen said. Tobis laughed, "At least we have a good excuse. She'll really believe us." Quinn was not convinced, "We're talking about Mrs. Till here. She hands out detention if we are a second late for class." 

*       *       *

Mrs. Till shook her head, "We'll, twenty out of twenty four is not bad." She called all the other students together, "Listen up people. We have till midnight to turn this gym into a romantic dance setting. John, you take a few people over and start covering up the bleachers. Katie, I want your group to start on the balloons. And Amber, you and Mike set up the sound system." As her students went to their jobs, Mrs. Till sighed, "One night to turn Sunnydale Highs gym into a dance hall. I should have signed up to head the drama club." 

*       *       *

Buffy was fully alert while her group got out of the car. "They have to be here some where." Merrick came up to her, "No. They aren't here yet. They'll have some fun in town first. I just hope enough people stay inside tonight." "If they're not here, why are we? Shouldn't we go help the people in town?" Cordelia asked. Merrick looked at her; "We can't help them. Our duty is here. We have to be ready when they try for the Hellmouth. If we go to town we will only save a few people. If we stop them here, we can save everybody." 

They started to walk towards the main entrance to Sunnydale High, when a new car came in the parking lot. "Sorry we're late." Willow said as her and Xander ran up to them. "Yeah, it's harder than I thought to convince four teenagers to stay inside because of vampires." Megan looked at Xander, "Why do I feel they didn't believe you?" Willow sighed, "As long as they stay inside I don't care what they believe." "We're wasting time," Merrick said. 

It took Buffy less then ten seconds to break the lock on the door. "God, I still can't believe how much this placed has changed." Xander said as they went into the school. "The city has grown over the last 25 years. And the school grows along with it." Buffy said. "What's the plan?" Willow asked as they walked the halls. "We have to guard the Hellmouth. Some of us will stay in the library, and the rest will search the school for any weapons that we can use for our arsenal." Merrick answered. Megan grew angry, "And who put you in charge?" She asked Merrick. "I have more experience and knowledge than you, so…."Megan interrupted him, "Your older self may have had more experience then me, but you don't. And I'm the Watcher here." 

Xander could not believe this lady. As far as he was considered if Buffy trusted Merrick, than so did he. Xander got in-between the two, "Who cares who's the boss here. We're a team, and we have a world to save. So can we please get this crap over with?" Megan looked like she was going to kill Xander, but Merrick just looked at him, "Son, it's hard to believe your only 16." He opened a case he had brought from the car, "Here, everyone get a radio headset, we need to keep in touch while he have all this fun." 

*       *       *

On the other side of Sunnydale High, a new car pulled into a rear parking lot. "We're only 40 minutes late maybe we'll not get into that much trouble." Abigail said as they ran to the door. Kristen just looked at her friends, "Remember, we had a flat tire and didn't have a spare. So we had to wait for a tow truck. None of this Vampire crap." 

*       *       *

The light was blinding. Buffy had to go by feeling as she led her group into the library. "What the hell is going on?" Willow yelled. "Who knows in this town!" Xander shouted. As Merrick tried to hold on to Buffy, he tripped over a computer cable. As he got up he noticed something even stranger than a library filled with blinding light. There was no source for the light, it started in the center of the room, and went in one direction. It was like someone cut a slice down the middle of the room. The light flooded the front of the library, but the rear was dark. 

"This is new." Xander said as he got out of the light. "Guys look at this!" Willow yelled from the back of the room. Buffy ran to her and looked at the rear end of the light, "Holly!" Megan swore, "As if we didn't have enough to do." Floating in mid air was a large tunnel. It was like looking into a big screen TV. They could see people moving around in the object, but there was no one in the room with them. 

"I don't know about you guys, but I have never seen something like this before." Buffy said. "I have." Xander said to himself. Merrick turned to him, "You've seen something like this before?" Xander nodded, "Last week…. Well last week for me was 25 years ago. You ever seen 'Sliders'?" Megan was confused, "Sliders?" Willow piped in, "Xander that was a TV show." Megan was angry again, "Great. We are wasting time talking about TV now." 

"So, something like that was on a TV show?" Merrick asked, "So what was 'Sliders' about?" Xander cleared his thought; "It was about four people who got lost exploring alternate dimensions. They went from alternate Earths trying to find a way home. And this thing looks like the portal they went threw to get to each world." Megan treated Xander like a little kid, "This is really nice, and maybe after us grownups save the world. You can tell us what your favorite episode was." 

Buffy was about to kill Megan, when Merrick brought them back to the matter at hand. "That makes sense." "How so?" Cordelia asked. Merrick looked into the light, the images where a little clearer now. "Look at the people in the 'portal' here." Buffy looked closely, "Oh my god!" "What?" Willow ran to her. All Buffy could do was point…they where in the portal. As they appeared in 1997. It was the library as they remembered it. "They must not see or hear us." Xander guessed. 

Buffy gasped as she saw Angel in the portal. She turned to Merrick, "So you think this thing goes back in time? Can we go through it? Could we send Xander back?" Merrick shook his head, "Look at what's wrong here." Xander saw it first, "Jesse!" "And me!" Cordelia said. Everyone is there except Xander." Willow said. "So this is a portal to a different time, in a different dimension?" Xander asked. "Yes. In that one Jesse never died and Cordelia was with you from the start." Merrick said, "Is this part of the vampires plan?" Cordelia asked. Merrick looked at her, "No this says that the borders between dimensions are breaking down. If we don't destroy the main portal, it won't mater if we stop the vampires. Because all the dimensions will be destroyed." 

Abigail tossed Quinn the roll of tape; "We need it 15 feet longer. Its has to loop through the gold streamer." Quinn shook his head; "I've only got eight feet here. Could we staple together two rolls?" "Nope, we only have one left and they need that on the other side." Quinn threw up his arms, "All we need is one more role of 45cent streamer, and we are out." Kristen overheard him, "That craft and hobby store should still be open." Quinn looked worried, "With all that happened to us tonight, you want to go outside by yourself? At least take Tobis with you." "Please Quinn, he might be my boyfriend, but I can do a supply run by myself." Kristen said as she picked up her jacket and headed out the door. 

*       *       *

Xander rummaged around in the counselors desk, "Great, another plastic ruler. Can't make a weapon out of that." He had already found seven wooden rulers, and about 26 plastic ones. Willow, and Cordelia where back in the library making stakes out of the wood ones. "Xander? Are you there?" He turned on his headset mic, "I'm here Buffy. There is nothing here to make into weapons. This is a public high school, the teachers probably lock up all the good stuff away from the students." 

Buffy stopped looking in the gym lookers, "Xander, the schools aren't that bad anymore. A lot of improvements have happened in the last twenty-five years." Xanders reply was a laugh, "Buffy, in our years here, we had over 18 bodies, 4 fires, and 2 classrooms destroyed. Other schools might have gotten better, but this is good old Hellmouth High School." Buffy had to agree with him on that point. She turned her mic back on, "Ok Xander, we found all we can. Let's head back to the library." Buffy had expected to hear Xander argue that he had a few rooms left to search, but all she got was silence. "Xander, Xander. Come in Xander!" She switched channels. "Merrick, I've lost contact with Xander. I am going to find him." 

*       *       *

"Merrick? What's wrong?" Willow asked. "Buffy can't reach Xander. She is going to check on him." Willow didn't waist a second. She ran for the door and was stopped by Cordelia. "Willow, I know how you feel about him, but we have to keep on schedule. If they come before we are ready… Xander will be alright" "She's right," Megan told Willow, "We have work to do." 

*       *       *

"Xander!" Buffy was shouting when she ran into the office. The room was not destroyed so she figured that there was no fight. She saw a small light in the next office and ran over. "I don't believe this!" she said. Xander was sitting on a desk watching TV. "Xander did you forget about the end of the world?" Xander just turned the TV toward her. 

Buffy saw that he was not just watching regular TV. He was watching a security camera monitor, and she was sick when she saw what was on it. The camera was from one of the new gyms, and they're where people in the gym. And they where in trouble. About twenty or so kids where cowering in a corner, but that was not the bad thing. Buffy could see clothes moving but there was no one in them. "Why are clothes coming to life?" Xander asked her. "Vampires don't reflect light. We see them but they have no reflections. So the camera is not picking them up." She answered. 

"Where is gym number three?" Xander asked her. Buffy sat down hard, "It's over on the left end of campus. It was built seven years ago." Xander spoke into his mic, "Merrick?" The voice came quick; "Go ahead son." "Buffy and I are in the main office. We are watching the security cameras, and we can see a group of vampires holding a bunch of student's hostage in one of the gyms. It looks like its party time." "We'll meet you two on the baseball field." Merrick said. 

*       *       *

Kristen was walking back to the gym, when she was grabbed from behind. She tried to fight and scream, but she stopped when she saw who had grabbed her. "Mrs. R?" Willow nodded, "Its alright, we're the good guys." Kristen was more confused then ever, "Then who are the bad guys?" Xander came into the light, "The vampires. I thought that would have been obvious. Can you show us a back way into the gym?" 

As Kristen hesitantly lead the group to the roof escape ladder, Willow decided something. "If we all survive this, Abigail is grounded for life." 

*       *       *

Mrs. Till tried to speak, "What do you want?" The figure smiled at her, "We will need a snack before long. After all, it takes a little while to open a portal to hell. And we haven't feed for a few hours." 

*       *       *

The group of heroes watched from the catwalks. "We have to do something, Now!" Cordelia said. "Buffy any ideas?" Megan asked. "The direct approach. It's always worked before." Buffy answered. "I don't like this," Merrick said. "There are only run-of-the-mill vampires. Where is the leader?" Kristen was still in denial, "Uh, excuse me, but what's the hell is going on?" Xander looked at her, "Don't worry. This isn't really happening. You are at home dreaming." Willow shrugged, "Let's get it done." 

*       *       *

Tobis was lifted from the floor. "You will make a good meal boy." The vampires fangs where about to break the skin on Tobiss neck, when the main door burst open. "Sorry, but we have to have the fight scene first. Then you can go for the mindless killing." Buffy joked. The vampire tossed Tobis aside, "The Slayer. It's about time, how come the good guys are always late?" 

"Sorry, traffic was murder." Xander said as he and the group came into the gym. He looked at Buffy, "After you." "Why thank you Xander." Buffy said as she back flipped over to the vampire that was closest to her. As soon as she took care of that vampire, all hell broke loose. Willow and Cordelia started to evacuate the kids as Xander, Megan, and Merrick helped Buffy. 

Half way through the fight all of the remaining vampires stopped and ran for it. "What? That's it?" Xander demanded, "They stage all this to only run away?" His question was answered by shrill voice; "We do not run from mortals. They have served their purpose!" Buffy and Xander turned to see a large vampire that Xander recognized, "Luke!" "This is not possible! I killed Luke myself!" Buffy yelled. 

"My name is David. The man you knew as Luke was my twin brother." The vampire said. "Twin Brother!" Xander was confused, "What is this 'Melrose Place'?" The vampire they now knew as David looked at them, "This is your doom." He pulled out a book and started chanting, "For the dark and the old ones…" 

Xander was more interested in the book now. "Give me the Lazzera!" he yelled as he charged at David. "Xander, NO!" Buffy screamed. Xander didn't care anymore; all he wanted was to get back at the vampires for ripping him away from his friends for twenty-five years. "I don't care what you are! All this madness ends now!" he screamed as he started hitting David. 

David just laughed, "Working with a Slayer has made you stupid boy." He grabbed Xander by the neck and lifted him off the ground, "She may have some power, but all you have is this pointy stick." Xander flew threw the air and hit the bleachers with a sick thud, he had to fight to stay awake. 

Buffy was on top of David just after he tossed Xander away. "No one hurts my friends! And I won't let anymore of your kind get away with this crap." David laughed again; "I have been watching you Slayer. You where good when you where young, but now you are weak. That's what's different between us. You wither in a few years, but I stay the same till the end of time." He threw Buffy next to Xander and resumed his chanting. Another portal had started to form in the center of the gym. And it was growing fast. 

While Xander and Buffy had been keeping David busy, Merrick got around behind him. Buffy jumped back on David the same time Merrick did. "We Mortals might be slow, but we can still hurt you!" Merrick said as he tore the Lazzera out of Davids hands. "No! I will not be stopped!" David screamed. He struggled to get the Lazzera that was only a few feet away, but Xander got to it first. 

*       *       *

All the kids and Mrs. Till ran for the parking lot. "Mom, what is going on?" Willow took Abigail aside from the rest of the kids. "Abigail, this is the most important thing I have ever told you. I need you to do as I say. No just saying yes mom, and then waiting till I'm gone to go back. You have to go away from here, don't go home. Just keep driving till you get to the edge of town. I'll call you on the car phone, but don't come back until I call you. Do you understand?" Abigail nodded at her mother. Then Willow said something that made Abigail very scared, "Honey, I love you. Always remember that." Kristen dragged Abigail to the car. Abigail just watched her mother with Cordelia and Megan run back to the gym. 

*       *       *

"Give me the book, boy!" David demanded. As scared as Xander was he kept his cool, "Buffy, hold him back. I'll try to stop this." The fight between Buffy, Merrick, and David started all over again. "Great now lets see if this thing has an index." Xander was talking to himself as he flipped through the book. "All I need is to bring Giles back to translate the Latin, and I'll be…." He couldn't believe it. All the Latin had been translated into English. "I guess vampires are not that great at Latin either." 

"Xander watch out!" Xander turned in time to see David coming at him. He had gotten away from Buffy and Merrick. "It's over boy!" David yelled as he knocked Xander to the ground. They wrestled for the Lazzera, and Xander was loosing. They fought till they where at the edge of the portal, and they could feel the portal pulling on them. 

*       *       *

Willow screamed as her and Cordelia saw what was going on. "Buffy we have to help him!" "No!" Merrick yelled, "He has to finish it. He's the Dreamer." 

*       *       *

David grabbed the Lazzera away from Xander, and he laid his face centimeters away from Xanders. "You gave it a good try boy. I'm surprised you tried at all, most mortals run and hide. But you and your clan here tried and failed to stop me. Now I'll make your death the quick one you have earned." "Don't be to sure. Us mortals are full of surprises," Xander said as he took a tube out of his pocket. "Here take a drink,' Xander smashed the tube into David's face. 

David staggered to his feet clutching his face, "Holy water! I'll tare you in half for this." Xander jumped up looking for a steak. "Hey, Vampire boy!" Buffy yelled. David looked through his burned eyes at Buffy. "You lost!" She yelled as tossed a steak through the air. It hit David dead-on in the chest, and he tried for the portal before he turned to dust. 

Xander saw what David was trying and he tried to grab the Lazzera. But Davids momentum pulled Xander into the portal. "You're going to die with me boy!" David whispered as he turned to dust, and Xander could not stop from falling into the portal. All he could see was white, and he heard only silence. 

*       *       *

"Where am I?" Xander called out. He was walking on flat ground, but he could not see a floor, only white. "You're safe." A voice called from behind him. Xander spun to see whom the voice came from. "ANGEL!" Xander was surprised, "They said you where dead." 

Angel came up to him. "I am. Well for the second time." Xander got nervous, "Does that mean I'm dead?" "Not yet." Giles said as he came up beside Angel. Xander felt like he was going to faint, "So I'm not dead, but Willow said both you two where dead!" "We are, Now." Giles put his hand on Xanders shoulder, "We grabbed you before you fell into Davids portal. You're in a state of limbo now." Xander was still not understanding, "But what about all that stuff back there? Like the city sized portal, and all the vampires?" "The Lazzera landed outside of the portal, so Buffy used it to destroy the main portal." Angel told him. 

"Yeah, buddy." Xander turned, "Jesse! You're here to?" The long dead teenager nodded, "I've been watching you guys down there for a long time. Of course I could tease you about the giant mantis thing, but you will not be staying long." Xander still didn't understand, "What do you mean?" 

"We are sending you back to 1997. A few seconds after you disappeared." Angel told him. Giles stepped up; "You belong back in the past." But Xander shook his head, "I can't go back, I know to much about what happened with Colin and you guys. And there is that thing about Willows daughter." Giles looked down, "I was hoping you would not think of that." 

Xander looked up at him, "If I go back it might change time enough that Willow might not go with that Ross guy. And that means Abigail might not be born. I can't face Willow knowing I might cause her daughter to never be born." Jesse eyed Xander, "Bud, I love Willow too. But if you don't go back, a lot of bad stuff that you don't know about will happen. The team has to get back together. And who knows? Abigail could still be born…she may have a different father. That's what made Willow marry Ross, he was so much like you." 

"Like me?" Xander was stunned "Willow likes me? I never knew that." Suddenly Giles, Angel, and Jesse where gone. Xander was alone again. But he heard voices and he decided to follow them. 

*       *       *

**"Your too late Slayer, your friend is going to be gone in minutes. And there is nothing you can do to stop it. You FAILED!"**

Xander ran for the voices. 

**"Xander, you can't leave. We need you-I need you."**

Xander was almost there. 

**"I'm so sorry, I should never have asked him to help me."**

"Don't sweat it Angel. You couldn't have known what was going to happen." The group spun at the voice. Angel and Buffy where ready for battle, but Willows scream stopped them. "XANDER!" She ran up and nearly knocked him down as she hugged him. "We thought you where gone forever." "What happened to you?" Giles asked him. Xander looked into Willows eyes before he answered. "I did go forward in time, and I had some fun, and was able to come back." 

Buffy hugged him, "When did you end up?" Xander got nervous, "Guys, I want to tell you everything, but I can't. I have some knowledge about what's coming, and I can't say anything. I hope you understand." Buffy and Willow shared a curious look, before Buffy said, "It's all right for now. We are just glad your time traveling days are over." Xander laughed, "All I care about is getting a weeks worth of sleep." 

As the group walked through the tunnels, Xander turned to Willow, "Hey Will, what do you think of the name Abigail?"


End file.
